


lightning strikes

by SteveTrevorsStarship



Category: Wonder Woman (2017)
Genre: Gen, I need help, I wrote this like in February and just now finished it, Pranks, Steve Trevor Lives, cuz i said so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 18:36:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18762106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteveTrevorsStarship/pseuds/SteveTrevorsStarship
Summary: Diana can’t stop crying when she finds out. Etta has to explain it to her, how it’s all going to work without a husband. Diana knows the biology. She doesn’t know the sociology.9 months of cravings, of crying, of laughing.5 people including Diana, Charlie, Sameer, Napi, and Etta know who the baby’s father is. The rest think she was married to a man in France that died during the war. It’s a plausible and safe lie.When she’s born, Diana won’t stop smiling.





	lightning strikes

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my god, I found this in my docs back in April and just now finished it. exam season has begun and I should be doing my homework and studying but instead, I'm doing this so please pray for me. Series probably won't be updated until around June or July because of summer activities and exams, but I think I'll have another fic coming out sooner rather than later.

_ I wish we had more time. I love you.  _

(He left behind more than his watch.)

///

Diana can’t stop crying when she finds out. Etta has to explain it to her, how it’s all going to work without a husband. Diana knows the biology. She doesn’t know the sociology. 

9 months of cravings, of crying, of laughing. 

5 people including Diana, Charlie, Sameer, Napi, and Etta know who the baby’s father is. The rest think she was married to a man in France that died during the war. It’s a plausible and safe lie. 

When she’s born, Diana won’t stop smiling. 

///

Her name is Stephanie Aella Prince. 

She’s born healthy and happy, with bright blue eyes and when her hair grows in, it’s light and blonde. Etta tells her it may grow darker later. It does, but slightly; the darkest it gets offers only brown lowlights. Other than that, she’s all Diana. In temperament  _ and  _ facial structure. 

“Momma!” She cries at 6, wringing her arms around her mother’s waist. “Where can I find a horse? A girl at school told me that her family owns a whole farm of horses!” 

Diana laughs softly as she turns around and picks her daughter up. “Not in London, Aella.” Her eyes are bright and curious as they gaze at her mother. She’s smart for a six-year-old. Diana tutors her at home, teaching her about Themyscira, about the Greek gods and her mother, Hippolyta. School offers her a perspective on man’s world that Diana doesn’t have. 

“Well then let’s go to America! I’m sure they’ll let me wear something other than these stupid dresses, anyway.” 

Diana rolls her eyes at man’s world and their restrictions on women, though she still reprimands her daughter, “Don’t complain about your dresses.” 

Aella, ever her mother’s daughter, rolls her eyes as well and responds, “Sorry, they’re not stupid. They’re  _ ridiculous.”  _

“Oh, I don’t know about that one, Stephie,” Etta says, walking into Diana’s living room apartment. “Dresses are like a disguise. You put one on and nobody expects what’s coming until you hit ‘em right in the face.” She winks at Aella, whose pout turns into a grin. 

“Aunt Candy!” Aella jumps from Diana’s arms and runs into Etta’s, nearly knocking the woman over with her super-strength. 

“Oh my, I’m not as strong as your mother, dear,” She grunts. 

Diana smiles sadly as she watches the two. (It’s been 6 years and she still can’t help thinking sometimes,  _ it would be better if he were here. _ ) 

Aella grows to be beautiful, wonderful, and brave. She’s everything Diana is, everything Steve was, and everything they could never be. She takes the sexist environment she lives in and throws it out the window with a smirk and the twinkle of her blue eyes.

(And the world can't quite believe it–  _ a female pilot.  _ She was entirely her father's daughter.)

Etta, Sameer, and Charlie died. Napi, Diana, and Aella stand at their graves, young as ever. 

Aella never knows her father. She never knows how his smile was blinding and beautiful, how his blue eyes matched her’s, how he was warm and wrapped Diana in his arms like she was the most fragile thing in the world (and she had been, she had just not known it yet.) 

Diana tells her what she can, but there’s not much. Etta tries, but she doesn’t know much about him, outside of work. He was a simple man, a private man, a ghost in their memories. Sameer, Charlie, and Napi all exchange war stories, but they mean nothing: Steve was much more than just a soldier. 

They try to find his family, only to find there is none left. 

Steve Trevor becomes nothing more than a ghost in their memories. They know next to nothing about him, yet they know he’s a wonderful man. 

Diana finds it sad. She knew nothing about him, but she loved him.  _ Loves him.  _ She loves his kindness, his laughter, his smile, his eyes, his voice. She loves that he followed her into the deadliest part of the war, loves that he protected her on the beach as she mourned Antiope, and the worst part of all, she loves him for going up in that plane and sacrificing himself to end a war that was never his job to end. 

Aella never really knows much about her father, other than that he flew planes and was a spy. She knows he was brave and strong. She knows he only knew her mother shortly before he died. She knows she kind of blames him for leaving her mom, but she gets it. Unfortunate circumstances. 

Aella never really knows anything about her father until she’s nearly a hundred years old. 

///

Steve Trevor is confused. 

First of all, he should be dead. Believe it or not, that’s what happens when you blow yourself up: you die. Second of all, since when was Paris so goddamned  _ bright  _ and full of people? The only reason he recognizes that it’s Paris is because of the Eiffel Tower, which he’s standing not even 15 feet away from. 

And to top it all off, there’s a car burning behind him and people surrounding him. And surrounding those people are men dressed in dark suits, holding guns at him and everyone around him. 

“What the fuck?” He asks, his voice reaching an octave higher. He automatically reaches for his gun, only to be punched straight in the face by someone. 

“Look at this little shit! He’s a fucking Nazi! He’s the reason our government is so corrupt!” Steve’s not sure if he’s translating the French right at this point. 

All he can reiterate is what the  _ fuck. What the fuck is a Nazi, what the fuck is happening, also why the fuck are you complaining about your government when there’s a goddamned war going on? _

People are on him in seconds (whatever a Nazi is, it must be pretty bad) and Steve can’t feel his face when someone finally yells, “That’s the wrong fucking war, you dumbshit!” and someone else says, “It’s Halloween, for fuck’s sake! It’s a costume.” 

Steve groans and blinks multiple times, trying to regain a normal, unfuzzy vision. When he does, he sees one of those men in a black suit standing over him, his gun put away. 

“Are you alright?” he asks.

Because Steve’s head hurts too much to switch to French, he responds in English, “Uh. I’m- I’m fine. I think.” 

“Of course he’s an American,” the man stutters under his breath in French. “Stupid goddamned tourists.” He switches to English again and says, “Go home and change out of that costume. People don’t take that well here.” 

Steve raises an eyebrow at him until his face aches with the effort and he lets his head fall onto the grass, groaning. He still manages to gurgle out, “You realize I can understand French, right?” 

The man stands there awkwardly for a moment before calling a Paramedic over. 

///

Whenever anybody asks Steve about the first time he sees Diana, he tells a different story every time. It ranges from her crushing his ribs in a hug, or him taking her by the chin and kissing her for a very, very, long time. 

The truth is, the first time he sees Diana, in the 21st century, goes a little something like this: 

Steve is sent to the hospital, treated for several broken ribs and a broken nose, and put in a bed as the pain meds wore off. 

Diana sees him at the protests (she’d gone to prevent any injuries and was busy with a man who thought that picking up a  _ tear gas grenade  _ was a good idea when Steve had been getting beat half to death) and changes into her civilian clothes to follow the paramedics to the hospital. Once he is out of treatment, she sits by his bedside and waits for him to wake up, studying his features. She doesn’t know how it’s possible, but it’s the same clothes he was wearing when he died, the same blue eyes, the same blonde hair. 

When Steve wakes, his eyes flutter open momentarily, blinking at the brightness of the lights above him. He doesn’t register Diana next to him until she breathes out, “Steve,” and he turns his head so fast he gives himself whiplash. 

He smiles at her and tries to say, “Hi, angel,” but his mouth feels all sorts of wonky and he can’t feel his tongue so it comes out jumbled and incoherent. 

Diana stifles an incredulous laugh. She stops when she realizes Steve has fallen back asleep, his mouth open and drool dribbling down his pillow. 

Of course, Steve never tells anyone this. He might be a respectable enough man, but he’s got to maintain at least  _ some  _ of his pride. 

When Steve is well enough to be discharged from the hospital, he leaves with Diana. She brings him home and he sits on the couch, blinking in surprise. 

“So,” he says, “it’s been a hundred years.” He itches his nose a bit. “Is uh- Is there any chance that I’m hallucinating right about now?” 

Diana smiles. “No.” 

“Oh.” He runs his hand through his messy hair. “How am I not dead?” 

“I’m not sure,” Diana says, sitting next to him on the couch. She smiles at him kindly, her eyes broken and her voice soft. 

Steve looks at her for a long moment. “I’m sorry.” 

“I know.” 

“Look, it’s been a hundred years and I…” Steve trails off, avoiding eye contact with her. “What I’m trying to say is, you don’t have to- if you don’t want me to be here, I could probably figure something out. I don’t want to… I mean, why would you help some guy you knew for five days a hundred years ago? It’s not like– ” Diana cuts him off with a kiss, her hand tangling in his hair and her eyes shut tight. Steve lets out a small noise of surprise before leaning into it and placing both hands on the sides of her face, deepening the kiss. She responds eagerly by biting his lower lip– 

And the door bursts open and Steve jumps in place, reaching for a gun that’s not there. 

Aella, at the door, blinks. “Um, mom? You have a guy over? I can come back later.” 

“No, no,” Diana says, standing up, bringing Steve with her. “Aella, meet Steve Trevor.” Steve raises his eyebrow at Diana but gives Aella a small smile. The girl, in response, stares at him, mouth agape. 

Steve stands there awkwardly for a moment. 

And then--

“Wait, did you just say  _ mom _ ?” 

“Steve, meet Stephanie Aella Prince. Your daughter.” 

At this, Steve lets out a sound he will forever, forever deny. But Aella tells Lois, and Lois tells Clark, and Clark tells Barry, and Barry tells  _ everyone  _ and Diana just laughs as Steve buries his face in her hair, hoping to ignore everyone.

///

It takes time, but Steve adjusts. 

He adjusts to cooking toast out of a freakish mini-oven looking thing ( _ Well I didn’t mean to burn it, I just– I– yeah, I don’t really have an explanation for this) _ , adjusts to the fact women can show skin now ( _ Diana, what the hell? She’s naked! And it isn’t even an episode of Game of Thrones, it’s a goddamned shampoo commercial!),  _ and he adjusts rather well to the fact she works with a team of metahumans (oddly enough, this is the easiest adjustment.) 

He adjusts and adjusts, but no matter what, he never gets used to being able to see Diana every day. He never gets used to the fact he has a daughter. 

He does get to know her, though. 

She doesn’t call him “dad” at first. It feels too stilted, too awkward. 

“You can just call me Steve,” he offers, his smile outshining any doubt she has about it. Aella nods and smiles back, grateful. They sit in uncomfortable silence for a moment before Steve asks, “You want a beer?” 

“Please.”

Diana watches the interaction from the chair next to the TV, quirking an amused eyebrow at their antics. “Steve,” she says, “it’s 11 A.M.” 

“Oh, sorry, Diana.” He turns to Aella. “You want some spiked tea?” 

Aella cracks a smirk. “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.”

“I don’t get that reference but I’m very sure I will become well acquainted with it in the future.” He disappears into the kitchen and Aella looks at her mother, reluctant. 

“He’s the exact opposite of you, mom.” 

“Which is why he’s so alike to you.” 

“I’m pretty sure he’s not half as badass as me, but alright.” 

(Diana remembers Steve running across No Man’s Land, shooting Germans in Veld. She keeps her mouth shut.) 

Steve comes back in not moments later with two popsicles. Aella furrows her brows. 

“We’re out of beer and Earl Grey. We’ve got blueberry or apple popsicles.” 

“Blueberry,” Aella responds instantly. Steve tosses her it, keeping the apple one for himself as he sits back down on the couch. 

“So,” Steve says casually. “Any boys in your life?” Diana rolls her eyes and Aella snorts. 

“You must have been a terrible spy,” she says. 

“Oh, wonderful spy. Just horrible at that whole family-life thing.” 

Aella shakes her head at him and sucks on the popsicle. 

“But really though,” Steve asks, “do you have a… um, what do they call them, Diana?” 

“The 21st century equivalent of courting is dating, and the significant other is called the boyfriend or girlfriend.”

“Yeah, um, that.” 

“None currently.”

“Ah. Well um, what do you do?” 

“I’m a pilot for the Royal Air Force,” she says, smiling gently at the surprised look on his face. 

His mouth melds into his own grin. He could probably talk about planes for hours on end.

And he can. They delve into a long conversation about the development of planes in the past hundred years until Aella mentions LED lights on commercial Airbuses and suddenly they’re talking about lights and electricity. 

At the end of the conversation, Steve gives Aella an unsure smile and says, “I know I wasn’t there to be your father, but I’d like to at least be friends with my daughter.”

Aella throws herself at her father and wraps him in her arms. He nearly falls at the force behind it but laughs and hugs her back. 

“I think I’d like that too.”

///

He calls her Steph and she calls him Steve. People often mistake them as siblings, but that’s going to happen when the entire family is at least a hundred years old and looks no older than 30. 

They become a menace that Diana can’t control. 

Stephanie on her own was bad enough, but add the occasional child-like attitude of Steve and the innocence of Barry Allen, who has become practically a surrogate child to them?

Chaos. 

Here’s the way it usually goes:

Stephanie gets an idea and she tells Steve. If Barry is around, Steve tells Barry, who will politely refuse at first and say, “Er, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Steve will convince him flawlessly, putting years of spy work into the effort. Grudgingly, Barry will agree. The idea is executed and more often than not, someone is hurt. Diana tries to keep the smile from spreading on her face every time. She fails. 

For example, the Great Christmas Disaster of 2019. 

The night, unfortunately, is winding down. Clark and Lois would have to head home soon to relieve the babysitter of her duties and Bruce looks like he was about ready to kick Arthur out of his house for drinking all the eggnog. Meanwhile, Vic is the one that had actually hidden all the eggnog with Alfred’s help. 

“I’m going out for a smoke,” Steve said, throwing a careless wink at Diana. He walks away with a glass of eggnog in hand. 

She sighs. “Aella, go make sure he doesn’t burn down the house.”

Bruce furrows his brows as Aella stands up after her father and begins to follow him. “Where’d he get the eggnog?” 

“It’s in the pantry where Vic and Alfred hid it,” Aella provides. “Barry, you’re coming with.” 

Barry throws her an exasperated look. “Just this once,  _ please,  _ can I not be involved in this?” 

“Nope,” she says, popping the p. 

Arthur raises his eyebrow. “Involved in what?” 

“You’ll find out sooner rather than later. Just stay inside for the time being.” 

///

Steph and Barry go outside to find Steve standing with a giant plastic bucket and a ladder. Next to him is Alfred, who seems only minorly concerned. 

Steve and Steph smirk. Barry groans. Alfred watches, amused. 

///

“No, Steve, don’t sneeze, oh my–,” 

“STEPHANIE I HAVE TO SNEEZE!” 

“No you don’t oh God oh fuck, Steve you’re standing on the edge of the roof and you’re holding a giant bucket of snow. If you fall, you land on concrete and the prank is ruined.  _ Don’t sneeze.” _

Steve is silent for a moment and Steph already knows. “Shit,” she says. “BARRY GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!” She starts looking for a place to put the second bucket of snow without it falling. “BARRY!”

“I’m coming!” she hears the door open and Barry steps out, Diana and the rest of the League following just behind. 

“Catch Steve!” Steph calls from above the doorway, a few feet away from Steve and her own bucket of snow in her hands.

“Why are you on the roof–?” Bruce starts asking but stops as Steve finally lets out an  _ AAAAAACHOO _ . The bucket of snow falls from his hands as Steve tries to regain composure. The snow falls onto Bruce and the bucket follows. Diana stifles her laughter. Steve trips over the rain gutter and begins the fall. 

“Got it,” Barry calls, already moving to catch Steve. 

Steph dumps her own bucket of snow onto Lois’ head before sprinting to the ladder and sliding down it. 

Steve falls into Barry’s arms and then sneezes a second time, surprising Barry. He drops the older man into the snow at his feet almost immediately. 

“Dad!” Steph shouts, running to him. “Are you okay?” 

Silence from the heap of snow that he was dumped in. 

“Did you just call me dad?” He finally asks, looking up from his ditch in the snow with a wide grin on his face. 


End file.
